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Wisconsin Football: 3 bold predictions for the Northwestern game

By Christian Borman

Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (0) burst free during the third quarter of their game Saturday, October 30, 2021 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin beat Iowa 27-7.Uwgrid31 22
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (0) burst free during the third quarter of their game Saturday, October 30, 2021 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin beat Iowa 27-7.Uwgrid31 22 /
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Graham Mertz; Wisconsin football
Nov 6, 2021; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) drops back to pass as Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive lineman Julius Turner (50) defends during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Graham Mertz throws for 150 yards, 1 touchdown, and no interceptions

Last week, we saw the Graham Mertz we all hoped we would get this year. Sure, he made a couple of questionable throws, forcing the ball into double coverage, but for the most part, I think he looked poised and confident in the pocket, delivering some dimes. I think what was most impressive about his passing performance was how well he did on third downs. That’s been a huge problem for him all season, picking up first down on third and longs.

If Mertz can continue to improve and put up performances as he did against Rutgers, this Wisconsin football team is going to be very hard to beat.

Northwestern is currently 18th in passing yards allowed per game in the NCAA. But that ranking could be misleading. If they are behind for most of their games, the opposing team isn’t going to be passing the ball constantly. Instead, when you look at passing efficiency defense, they drop down to 30.

The Wildcats also don’t get a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They have just 17 sacks all year, which is 80th in the country. To compare, the Badgers have 27 sacks and are tied for 18th in the country. Marshall, who leads all of the FBS, has 34 sacks.

We’ve seen what Mertz is capable of when he has time. I think with the offensive line improving and Northwestern’s lack of pressure, I could see Mertz having another nice day. I don’t think he’ll put up the numbers he did against Rutgers, but I think it’s realistic to think he could throw for 150+ and a touchdown on Saturday.